While Google and Microsoft had been working together on an ‘HTML5 application’ suitable for release, the former have now changed their opinion on the matter, suggesting that Microsoft have not complied with processing the ‘necessary browser upgrades’ needed for smooth running of the service.

A Google spokesperson said of the matter: “Microsoft has not made the browser upgrades necessary to enable a fully-featured YouTube experience, and has instead re-released a YouTube app that violates our Terms of Service. It [the app] has been disabled. We value our broad developer community and therefore ask everyone to adhere to the same guidelines.”

Microsoft, however, do not agree with the reasoning, and have complained at a the ‘manufactured’ reasons for removal during a blog post by ‘deputy general counsel’ David Howard, who summarised: “It seems to us that Google’s reasons for blocking our app are manufactured so that we can’t give our users the same experience Android and iPhone users are getting. The roadblocks Google has set up are impossible to overcome, and they know it.”

Although both parties are claiming that they remain committed to working together for a solution, it appears to be a scenario where the consumer misses out on a basic feature of their device for far too long on account of corporate squabbling. For those users, there’s always the browser version… is what people of a more ‘deal with it’ stance might suggest on the matter.